Mushroom Coffee: Is it Good or Bad for Your Health?

Mushroom coffee might sound unappealing. But this trendy drink isn’t as odd as it sounds. It actually tastes good similar to your regular coffee. Over the last few years, mushroom coffee has gained a lot of attention among number of wellness influencers and enthusiasts and many have been talking about it on social media.   

In addition, we cannot ignore the nutritional value and health benefits of Mushrooms.  

What is Mushroom Coffee? 

Mushroom Coffee or mushroom- infused coffee marketed as a healthier version of regular coffee. The proposed health benefits of mushroom coffee, including reduced anxiety and improved immunity, give it a marketing edge. People make this drink by drying mushrooms, extracting their beneficial ingredients, and adding those to regular coffee. 

The most popular varieties of mushrooms used for this are: 

• Reishi 

• Lion’s mane 

• Chaga 

• Cordyceps

Asian countries have been using herbs and mushrooms as a wellness therapy for centuries. Experts call these wellness tools “adaptogens.” They are thought to be able to help us adapt and survive in tense situations. 

Now it is also available in a powdered form and is sold as instant coffee packets, ground coffee blends and coffee pods that can be prepared and consumed in a variety of ways, just like regular coffee. 

5 Potential Health Benefits:  

The fact that mushrooms are part of the drink's recipe does give this beverage some potential health benefits. It can support your immune system as they have beneficial compounds, such as: 

• Polyphenols 

• Carotenoids 

• Vitamins 

• Polysaccharides 

• Minerals 

1. Antioxidant Properties: 

Yes, mushroom coffee has major antioxidant properties. Experts believe that mushroom coffee can provide antioxidants that support your immune system and thereby protects us from diseases. 

2. Less Caffeine Content:  

As some reports suggest taking less caffeine does help some people get a better night’s rest. So, due to less caffeine content in mushroom coffee may have that advantage too, if you tend to be sensitive to caffeine, mushroom coffee might be a good choice for you. 

3. Reduces Stress:  

You might have heard about Cortisol hormone or stress hormone that affects our bodies in many adverse ways. People suffering from things like depression, hypoglycemia, fever, trauma, and pain tend to have higher amounts of cortisol release in the body. Some Studies show that adaptogens, that present in mushroom coffee, level out the amount of cortisol in your blood and saliva. So this drink could help you in managing stress. 

4. Reduces Inflammation:  

The compounds present in mushrooms have plenty of anti- inflammatory agents. So, mushroom coffee could help in reducing inflammation in the body.  

5. Lowering Cholesterol Levels:  

Extracts of the reishi mushroom are vital in lowering bad cholesterol levels and thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Also, the medicinal mushroom extracts in mushroom coffee enable the body to use oxygen more efficiently. 

Downsides of Mushroom Coffee:  

Although mushroom coffee may be an exciting thing to try but there are some downsides which you must know. The major downside is that human studies are lacking to support health claims and verify safety of intake and potential interactions. It is also more expensive than regular coffee. According to my opinion, it would be much better to include the whole mushrooms into your diet and take mushroom coffee consciously in an optimum amount to avoid any health complications in future.